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Cumulus killed the radio star?

Original post made on Jan 9, 2012

After Cumulus Media fired seven talk-show personalities and several producers, KGO-AM changed to a mostly news format, leaving news/talk junkies shocked by the abrupt change. While listener protests and outrage fell on deaf ears, former GM Mickey Luckoff was working behind the scenes to save Bay Area talk radio as we know it.

Read the full story here Web Link posted Friday, January 6, 2012, 4:55 PM

Comments (31)

Posted by Linda
a resident of Danville
on Jan 9, 2012 at 8:46 am

I tried to listen to KGO after the change but it was too repetitive and plain BORING. I miss Len. He made me laugh. Not that it matters to KGO but I'll be tuning in to another station.

Good luck Mickie, you did a good job.


Posted by jayne & john
a resident of Alamo
on Jan 9, 2012 at 9:07 am

We are very pleased with the new format at KGO. Especially the morning position now of Jon Bristow. He grew up in Alamo and is a terrific person. Good choice KGO. And thank you!


Posted by Kyra
a resident of Danville
on Jan 9, 2012 at 9:46 am

Thank you for this. I didn't have time to run around to find out what happened to KGO, and I appreciate your reporting of what happened. In all, very sad.


Posted by Duffy
a resident of Danville
on Jan 9, 2012 at 10:08 am

Speaking of radio personalities. Those of you who miss Rush Limbaugh on KSFO can now find him on the Sacramento outlet, KFBK (1530AM).


Posted by Duffy
a resident of Danville
on Jan 9, 2012 at 10:08 am

Speaking of radio personalities. Those of you who miss Rush Limbaugh on KSFO can now find him on the Sacramento outlet, KFBK (1530AM).


Posted by George
a resident of Alamo
on Jan 9, 2012 at 10:19 am

Rush is on local station 910 from 9-noon. Good riddance to the old KGO.


Posted by Beck
a resident of Blackhawk
on Jan 9, 2012 at 11:08 am

Thanks for posting but very few if any in the bay area listen to Rush ... we are NPR/KQED crowd here.


Posted by collins
a resident of Vista Grande Elementary School
on Jan 9, 2012 at 12:19 pm

Agreed, Beck. I tried listening to the new KGO, but I don't want all news all the time. I enjoyed the format that worked so well for years. I will no longer tune in to KGO. Another fine example of what deregulation has "given" us.


Posted by Pedal Power
a resident of Danville
on Jan 9, 2012 at 4:54 pm

The first KGO broadcast I can personally remember/date was in September 1987 and 810 AM had been a fixture on my radio dial ever since. But now it is no longer my first choice, and, boredom with the repetition has prompted me to get books on CD.

Anyone seeking to make their displeasure known would be advised to contact KGO advertisers since they control the revenue.

Thanks to Mickey Luckoff, and the rest of them, for so many good years.


Posted by JILL BRENNAN
a resident of Danville
on Jan 9, 2012 at 6:01 pm

My husband and I have had a hard time trying to find a new station that we like. 910 definitely doesn't do the job. Our cars and various home radios were all set on KGO but no more. We dislike the new format intensely. The repetitive nature of all news over and over drives me over the wall. Bye bye, KGO!!


Posted by Louise
a resident of Danville
on Jan 9, 2012 at 6:02 pm

Loved the "old" KGO- am wishing Luckoff the best on making a talk radio station happen- Does anyone know how we as listeners can support him?

Stopped listening to the new station- REALLY? this what their surveys said their listeners WANTED? Didn't ask me! just as easy to get news from KCBS or the internet- the talk show approach is what made it interesting!


Posted by Marie
a resident of Danville
on Jan 9, 2012 at 8:55 pm

Now I only listen to KGO when Ronn Owens or Brian Copeland are on. The others are just annoying. Sad to lose so many talented people, expecially John Rothman.


Posted by The Reverend
a resident of Alamo
on Jan 9, 2012 at 9:21 pm

I hope Mr. Luckoff reads some of these postings. the problem with radio today is being solved every day. more and more internet stations with quality programing. And as cars get more and more tech capabilities, these big box stations will go away. Nothing to worry about, this is just growing pains. Lucky for the public, art and the truth can never really be forced out.


Posted by Ronn's good
a resident of another community
on Jan 9, 2012 at 11:09 pm

Thanks for the rest of the story. I've been a regular Ronn listener for 2 years, so I'm OK. I've been a faithful Bob Brinker listener for 23 years....he's now on KSFO on Sunday afternoons 1:-4:00. So I'm OK with Ronn and Brinker. I'll miss Wattenburg.


Posted by Frankly
a resident of San Ramon
on Jan 10, 2012 at 6:27 am



Greed of another form reached the ranks of KGO.

Now the multiyear national award winning radio station has been killed by those who want more money in their pockets and tell the listeners, once again, screw you.

No where in the whole country as we traveled did we hear anything close to what KGO used to be.

Now KGO is just like the rest of the mundane, boring, repetitive, thoughtless radio programing stations and there are countless of them and all to serve not the community but the coffers of the owners, a corporation wouldnt you know!!!

Those you sought thought filled radio programing are now a thing of the past.

No doubt the new owners want new listeners who will just accept the bilge they will be provided but this is the San Francisco Bay Area where thought, concepts, and intelligent listeners abound!!!

What to do?

Boycott KGO's sponsors, perhaps, if you are able to in order to send the appropriate message.

Or just roll over and take it like a mushroom, stay in the dark, and be fed crap.

Have a another mindless day over repetitive boring KGO radio programing.


Posted by Member
a resident of Danville
on Jan 10, 2012 at 9:09 am

I was an avid KGO fan. I don't get it. They say they went to all news, with the exception of Ronn Owens, but I hear a lot of lame call in talk shows still on, without the strong talent that they let go. I don't get letting Len Tillem, Gene Burns (especially Dining Around), Bob Brinker, Leo Laporte, On the Go, and others go as they added diversity and interest to the station. Now all political talk and news is not making it for me. I also noticed that in an effort to fill time, they do some rather long-winded trivial interviews. Sorry to lose KGO, but I was glad to hear that Mickey gave it a good fight to save Bay Area talk radio. Moving on to other stations.


Posted by Steve
a resident of San Ramon
on Jan 10, 2012 at 2:12 pm

I think Luckoff was right.... it's about money
I also think KGO made a foolish move

The "truth seekers" I think are going away in our society
the investigative journalists like Bill Moyer

Being replaced by superficial news
Burns and all those guys made you think and the discussions helped you to get a rounded out view of a situation

In a way the "news" today puts people to "sleep" because they don't really know what's happening in the world and in there own country or city

The Bible said this would happen in the last days "They took no note" meaning they were not aware of the times they were living in
I think the "news" today contributes to that




Posted by Linda
a resident of Danville
on Jan 12, 2012 at 12:32 pm

I was a KGO listener for many many years, since back in the days of Owen Spann and Jim Eason. No longer is it a pre set on my car radio. I'm glad most of my favorites have moved to 910.
Seems I'm not the only one thinking this was a bad move on KGO's part.
Guess they don't believe in the 'if it's not broke, don't fix it


Posted by Joseph
a resident of Danville
on Jan 13, 2012 at 8:50 am

Beck, I thoroughly disagree, I listen to Rush every day. You are not speaking for me. By the way, how do you know most of us don't listen to Rush, have you taken a survey?, I doubt it.


Posted by Beck
a resident of Blackhawk
on Jan 13, 2012 at 9:48 am

Joseph, I said very few (that includes folks like yourself) listen.

Com'on, that guy is from mid-west, did not graduate college, married 4 times ... totally does not fit the background of the majority here who are from all over the world, educated, high potential individuals.


Posted by Bev
a resident of Danville
on Jan 13, 2012 at 1:44 pm

I worked the Thanksgiving Charities for 21 years. Listened to KGO longer. Can't believe what the new owners did. They say their ratings have been going down. They will really be going down now.
Miss Gil Gross, Gene Burns, John Rothman. what a mistake. Bring them back!


Posted by Julia
a resident of Alamo
on Jan 14, 2012 at 11:24 am

It was a sad day when I heard how the new owners killed KGO Radio 810 on your dial...NO More on my dial.

The new format is the boring thing ever. I enjoy the news, but over and over again. Oh I know they say the news is repeated for the folks that do not listen 24/7...well if that's the case, I guess you filled a need, but I doubt it.

I can only see a great opportunity for starting a NEW TALK Show station. The new station must hire the greatest weather man ever, Mr. Lloyd Lindsey Young, Helloooooo Alamo. Then hire everyone KGO dumped and watch the sponsors move to the new station.

Well that's about it for now...Thank for listening

Julia Pardini, from Alamo California


Posted by Julia
a resident of Alamo
on Jan 14, 2012 at 11:46 am

Sorry I forgot to mention.

Have you heard the weather report now being done on KGO Boring Radio.

If the new company wanted to get rid of they talk show host...WYH on earth fire Lloyd Lindsey Young...he's not a talk show host.

This man does the weather...KGO still talks about the weather, so why fire Mr. Young?????????????

Corporate people...just can't figure them sometimes.

Again, thanks for listening, Julia Pardini, from beautiful Alamo in the East Bay.


Posted by Dennis the Menace
a resident of Danville
on Jan 16, 2012 at 7:38 am

I,for one, will not miss Ray Taliaferro. I am glad KGO will NOT be a wannabe NPR/KQED lookalike. We need as much news as possible to find out what exactly is going on in our world.


Posted by C. R. Mudgeon
a resident of Danville
on Jan 16, 2012 at 2:20 pm

Presumably, not all self-styled "high potential individuals" are as narrow-minded as Beck, in looking down on those dreaded "midwesterners"....

Actually, whether or not Limbaugh listeners mesh with Beck's "NPR/KQED" demographic, there were probably more people listening to Limbaugh's show than most or even all of the programming on KGO. Even in the Bay Area.

That said, I would agree that with the format change at KGO, there isn't really that much in the way of other stations with a format similar to the old KGO.


Posted by Phil
a resident of Danville
on Jan 17, 2012 at 10:55 am

Found Len Tillem yesterday on KKSF (AM910) between 3-4PM. Not the time I've grown accustomed to hearing him. Reception in west Danville is not as good for KKSF as it was for mighty 50,000W KGO.


Posted by Derek
a resident of Danville
on Jan 17, 2012 at 1:35 pm

I would like to try 910, as many have recommended, but if it comes in poorly in west Danville, it's even worse in the Greenbrook area. My lame Japanese car radio barely gets it at all, as if it's being broadcast from Neptune.
I have often said there is no dumber human than a network executive, but I was really speaking of television. Guess that extends to radio as well.


Posted by Anne
a resident of Danville
on Jan 17, 2012 at 2:26 pm

I miss KGO, rarely listen except for Ronn...
Thanks Mickey for trying to find a station for all the good people that were let go. I hope KGO's ratings drop to nothing. I know I don't listen much anymore. Who needs MORE news?


Posted by Frankly
a resident of San Ramon
on Jan 18, 2012 at 6:27 am

"News" on KGO? A mammoth joke. It's a station which just repeats what's on your iPad, laptop, TV, and highlights on Yahoo.
In short, KGO is just a pile of bilge offered as innovative , and interactive junk.

How to kill your ratings; how to kill the national award winning station overnight is the study of KGO ownership!!!!

What a dumb, stupid, moronic joke on the public!!!!
And they even have the gall to advertise on their own station seeking wannabes at the station!!

The best award they will earn will be the FOOLS OF THE YEAR award!!!!
They will make every effort to win some kind of award no matter what it is and proclaim it as the award but it wont take the place of the FOOLS AWARD OF THE YEAR.


Posted by Former Listener
a resident of Danville
on Jan 18, 2012 at 7:30 am

I am sorely disappointed in the change. My listening time on KGO is now limited to Ronn. Thank you for pointing me to Len's new location on 910. I'll be checking that out. I'm still looking for a radio station o tune into the rest of the tiMe. Sadly it won't be KGO.


Posted by Old Dude
a resident of Danville
on Jan 18, 2012 at 3:03 pm

Took me 75 years to realize that it's Cumulus Media's pocketbook that you have to damage,i.e.,boycott the products they advertise,be public about the fact that you are doing so by contacting the product maker and Cumulus.It may take time but it's far more fruitful than commenting on this site.


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